


Blindsided on an Idle Tuesday

by ObnoxiouslyZukka



Series: Hindsight, Silver Linings, and Blindsides [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Blood Loss, Childbirth, Fainting, Graphic Descriptions of Childbirth, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Pregnant Zuko, Sokka has an episode of dissociation, Sokka is 23, Trans Zuko (Avatar), Unplanned Pregnancy, Zuko does not know he's pregnant, Zuko is 24, because of shock, he ends up (physically) okay tho, until he is in labor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:00:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26013013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObnoxiouslyZukka/pseuds/ObnoxiouslyZukka
Summary: “Hey, sunshine,” Sokka managed, voice cracking a little, as those beautiful brown eyes he loved so much finally opened to stare up at him.“Hi,” Zuko muttered, raspy and quiet and confused. His eyes widened as they trailed down to stare at the blood stains splotched all over Sokka’s hoodie and jeans. “W-what… happened?”“You… Um…” Sokka hesitated, swallowing audibly and trying to discreetly wipe away the tears rolling down his cheeks. “You… had a baby. In our bathroom,” he managed with a disbelieving laugh that came out as more of a sob. “And then - then…” Sokka’s words were thick and a struggle to get out around the lump in his throat. “Y-You almost… b-bled out,” he managed shakily, sniffling softly as the adrenaline started to wear down and a myriad of feelings started to seep in.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Hindsight, Silver Linings, and Blindsides [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888069
Comments: 36
Kudos: 408





	Blindsided on an Idle Tuesday

**Author's Note:**

> **As said in the tags, there is a graphic birth scene in the first half of this. If reading/seeing things about childbirth makes you uncomfortable please click away now.**
> 
> Otherwise, if you liked it I'd definitely appreciate a comment! Thank you <3

As much as Zuko hated missing work, he couldn’t exactly argue with his Uncle when all he could do was hide in the back and try not to cry from the increasingly worse cramping pain wrapping around his abdomen and back every ten minutes. 

It was like the worst period cramps Zuko’s ever experienced despite the fact that he hasn’t had a period in two years and, last time he checked, he wasn’t bleeding. A couple Google searches led him to believe he might have a cyst or, at the worst, appendicitis. Which could both be troublesome (if not mildly deadly) but Zuko didn’t want to panic himself or his Uncle in case it was something stupid.

If it got worse, he decided he’d have Sokka take him to an urgent care when he gets home. Otherwise, Zuko made an appointment with his doctor’s office for the next morning, took some Tylenol, and laid down in hopes that it would get better.

Unfortunately for him, it didn’t get better.

In fact, it got worse. Zuko curled up around his stomach, muffling moans of pain against his pillow every time the cramping started again. Not even five minutes of rest between harsh cramps anymore despite not moving around at all.

Yeah, there’s no way he’d be able to wait until the morning to get this figured out. Or at least get some sort of pain relief. 

Regretfully, Zuko managed to sit up once the cramp faded and reached out to grab his phone - sending a quick text to Sokka. Telling him to come straight home after work so he could take him to be seen. 

Zuko had barely pressed the ‘send’ button when he felt a dull ‘pop’, like something in his body giving way, followed by a gush of liquid soaking his lower half and a good portion of the bed. Which was… weird. 

And more than a little gross - though it didn’t smell or seem to have any color. It wasn’t blood. And Zuko was almost certain that, as a grown adult, he hadn’t just pissed himself.

He sucked in a slow, deep breath - trying to keep himself from outright panicking - and let it out as he looked back down at his phone to see that his boyfriend had already texted back that he was on his way. 

No reason to panic Sokka more than he was no doubt already panicking - Zuko knew his boyfriend and how worried he got about him. He just had to clean himself up. Put on clean clothes. And Sokka should be there by the time he was ready to go. 

Zuko pushed himself to his feet, sucking in a sharp, surprised breath when he felt more fluid further soak his jeans and pressure low in his pelvis - like a bowling ball nestled between his hips. 

This was just getting weirder and weirder and Zuko hoped and prayed Sokka would be there soon, trying to push away all the anxiety and focus on just cleaning up. Zuko was sure he’d die of embarrassment if Sokka came in to find him looking like he’d pissed all over himself.

Zuko barely managed to strip down and get in the shower when another pain sent him to his knees. The spray of warm water from the shower head soaking his hair, raining down onto his face until he managed to blindly grasp the handle and turn it off. Spitting out water and groaning in pain as the muscles around his middle all tightened up painfully, adding to the pressure he felt until he couldn’t help but bear down against it a little. 

Panting when it was over, Zuko decided to forgo the shower. He’d at least managed to rinse off some - that would have to be good enough. He wrung his hair out the best he could while catching his breath before struggling back to his feet to stumble out of the tub and grab the towel hanging from the door.

“Oh fuck,” Zuko groaned, apparently he had moved too fast or _something_ because he was already getting another cramp that left him unable to do anything but lean heavily against the door, legs giving out as the pain peaked, sending him sliding down to the floor.

As soon as it was over, Zuko pushed himself up onto his knees and managed to crawl to grab his phone. Hands shaking as he tried to type out a message to Sokka asking if he was almost home. 

That message never got sent. Phone clattering to the floor as Zuko was blindsided by another intense cramp - accompanied by even worse pressure in his pelvis that left him no choice but to bear down and push against it until he felt a burning sensation like nothing he’s ever felt before between his thighs. 

He reached down on instinct, ignoring the building dread in his gut as he pressed his fingers between his thighs and came into contact with something hard right at his entrance. 

“W-What the…” Zuko started, voice trembling and quiet, drowned out by the intense pounding of his heart feeling like it might explode out of his chest. He refused to think about what it could be even though he knew there was only one answer. 

And he has been gaining weight - specifically around his midsection.

And there was that bout of ‘food poisoning’ he thought he had months ago.

And it’s not like he’s been expecting to have a period.

And since it had been more than a year since he’s had one he didn’t think he could get pregnant.

And, because of that, he and Sokka haven’t been using condoms.

And even Zuko would admit he’s been rather moody lately.

And… Zuko definitely _did not,_ at the age of 24, wet himself fifteen minutes ago. 

It must have been his water breaking.

That thought crossed his mind mere seconds before Zuko was thrown into another intense contraction, trying desperately to keep himself from pushing. Not that he had much of a choice, his body was doing most of it without his own conscious involvement. 

Even when that burning sensation became so incredibly overwhelming all Zuko could do was scream and grip at the sink counter for something to hold onto. The pain never seemed to end or lessen, just getting worse and worse until bright spots started clouding Zuko’s vision. 

Head spinning, barely gasping in little wheezing breaths, feeling like he was about two seconds from passing out until the sickening feeling of something being forcibly torn from his body accompanied another grotesque gush of fluid soaking his thighs and all that intense pain dropped off into a dull ache.

Despite the way his ears were ringing and the thundering loudness of his own heartbeat, Zuko heard the front door creak open and his boyfriend’s voice ring out.

“Sunshine, I’m home!”

“S-Sokka!” Zuko called back - voice all weak and raspy and cracking. 

A whimper that didn’t come from himself brought Zuko’s attention downwards to the tiny, fluid and blood covered baby weakly squirming between his thighs. Zuko’s breath caught and held, eyes staring widely at the infant on the floor. 

Small - too small, lips tinged blue, making tiny little gurgling, whimpering noises, and most definitely _his._

His vision started to tunnel and swim, heart thudding ever harder against his chest, and the last thing he registered before everything went dark was the bathroom door opening and Sokka’s horrified gasp. 

\---

The sight of Zuko passing out in a pool of blood with a baby between his legs - still attached via the umbilical cord - was something Sokka was sure he’d need to literally bleach out of his brain if he ever wanted to stop having nightmares about it. As of now, he couldn’t stop shaking. 

It took three calls to 911 for someone to stay on the line and send an ambulance out to him. Apparently saying in a panic, “I think my boyfriend just had a baby,” was generally categorized as a ‘prank call’. Maybe later Sokka would be able to be as outraged as he should be about that.

At the moment, he just needed Zuko to be okay. 

He did everything the dispatcher told him to do while waiting for the ambulance. Followed her instructions on how to clear the baby’s airways, about wrapping it up in something soft and warm. She told him not to try to move Zuko, though, in case he had an injury that might be worsened by improper movement. To just wait for the paramedics to get there - even though that was the hardest thing Sokka’s ever had to do in his life. 

Just watch as his boyfriend bleeds out on the floor? Unable to do anything about it? 

It seemed like an eternity before the ambulance got there despite it not even being 10 minutes. And, honestly, Sokka didn’t remember much of the ambulance ride. 

The second they got to the hospital they were all separated. The baby whisked off to the NICU and Zuko rolled down another hallway while a nurse gently ushered Sokka towards the desk to get both of them properly checked in. 

A lot of questions were asked that Sokka didn’t have the answer to. Zuko’s family history, if he had an idea of how far along Zuko was supposed to be, questions regarding the care of the baby. 

If they were keeping the baby.

He felt ridiculous and useless just repeating, “I don’t know,” over and over again. Still barely even conscious of what was happening - too worried about his boyfriend and still in shock trying to comprehend what had happened.

Honestly, the next thing Sokka actually fully remembers is when he was finally able to see Zuko again after asking for what felt like the hundredth time if he was okay. Led down the hallway - in the opposite direction of where the baby was taken - to the room Zuko was set up in. 

God, Zuko looked so weak and pale and small in the hospital bed. Dressed in one of those paper-thin hospital robes, hooked up to several IVs - a blood transfusion, fluids, antibiotics, and something that was supposed to help stop the hemorrhaging. 

Sokka couldn’t help but tentatively approach the bed, reaching out to find and hold Zuko’s hand - just needing to touch him somehow. Even if his hand was ice cold and Sokka was terrified of accidentally hurting him.

“Hey, sunshine,” Sokka managed, voice cracking a little, as those beautiful brown eyes he loved so much finally opened to stare up at him. 

“Hi,” Zuko muttered, raspy and quiet and confused. His eyes widened as they trailed down to stare at the blood stains splotched all over Sokka’s hoodie and jeans. “W-what… happened?”

“You… Um…” Sokka hesitated, swallowing audibly and trying to discreetly wipe away the tears rolling down his cheeks. “You… had a baby. In our bathroom,” he managed with a disbelieving laugh that came out as more of a sob. “And then - then…” Sokka’s words were thick and a struggle to get out around the lump in his throat. “Y-You almost… b-bled out,” he managed shakily, sniffling softly as the adrenaline started to wear down and a myriad of feelings started to seep in. 

Fear, primarily. 

“I had a baby,” Zuko repeated like he didn’t believe it which, honestly? If Sokka hadn’t seen the tiny infant _still attached_ to Zuko, he wouldn’t have either. “I… Oh my God,” Zuko breathed unsteadily. 

“Yeah,” Sokka said with another little, shaky laugh. “I-I didn’t… you never… I mean… You - You didn’t… Like - _know_ , right?” Sokka asked, and regretted it immediately with the way Zuko’s face twisted in a mix of disbelief and hurt, staring up at him and shaking his head. 

“ _No_ ,” he rasped, voice full of painful conviction.

“Okay - Okay. Okay. Sorry. I - That was a stupid thing to ask. I’m sorry,” Sokka said quickly. “I’m just… trying to wrap my head around it all. Like… I - I didn’t think you could get pregnant.” 

“I didn’t either,” Zuko muttered, tone softening as he dropped his head back against the pillows to stare up at the ceiling blankly. “What… Where um… Is - Is it…” Zuko trailed off, struggling to find the word - apprehension in every line of his face and Sokka knew he was fearing the worst. 

“She’s… in the NICU,” Sokka answered carefully. “I don’t really know much else. I think they were waiting for you to wake up to talk to both of us.”

“Oh,” Zuko breathed. 

And fuck it all if Zuko laying there looking all pale and weak and scared didn’t make Sokka’s heart break to pieces. 

He had no idea how to try and comfort his boyfriend, though, not when Sokka felt just as helpless and terrified. He couldn’t reassure Zuko that the baby would be alright because he had absolutely no idea. 

And if she was alright then… what? They become parents overnight? They didn’t have the money to buy everything they’d need. A crib. Bottles. Diapers. Clothes. 

Fuck, how would their families react? 

There were just so many unknown variables here, Sokka couldn’t do anything but hold Zuko’s hand and silently cry with him - just trying to ground himself in the fact that _Zuko_ was okay. That _they_ would be okay. And they’d figure everything out from there.

Luckily, they didn’t have to wait much longer for an update. A doctor from the NICU coming in to talk to them. 

Dr. Chen was nice - understanding and patient as she explained everything to them. 

The baby was nearly two months premature and would need to be cared for in the NICU for a while but, considering all the odds, she was doing surprisingly well. 

Then the big question came that neither of them were prepared for and would no doubt preface a myriad of other, more complicated decisions: 

“Would you two like to see her?” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, y'all. Hope you liked it <3
> 
> Lemme know if you'd want a continuation of this in a comment and thank you for reading!


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